PM Davutoğlu criticizes former President Gül for condolences to HDP

ANKARA

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has suggested the appropriate address for former President Abdullah Gül’s message of condolence over the Oct. 10 Ankara massacre was his office, not that of the co-leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

“It’s Gül’s decision, but I’d like to ask… where is the house of condolence? The house of condolences is the Republic of Turkey,” Davutoğlu said on Oct. 19 in a televised interview.

“Extending condolences merely to the HDP means identifying all our citizens that lost their lives with the HDP,” he said, adding Turkey’s address for condolences was the Prime Ministry. 

HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş said on Oct. 14 that Gül had called him and extended his condolences for the bomb blasts that killed more than 100 people at a peace rally in the capital city of Ankara on Oct. 10.

Demirtaş could not appropriate this condolence for himself, Davutoğlu said, adding he had not had any contact with him and noting he expressed condolences for all of Turkey.